MORE THAN 500 KILLED IN HAITI

Dozens of people — including a woman and her small child — had to be rescued from their cars as life-threatening flash floods surprised many in North Carolina. Rivers and creeks overflowed, driving people from their homes. (Fox News image)

(FOX NEWS) – As North Carolina reeled from Matthew’s devastating flooding, officials announced Sunday that the storm killed at least seven people in the state, and 16 overall in the U.S.

Dozens of people — including a woman and her small child — had to be rescued from their cars as life-threatening flash floods surprised many in North Carolina. Rivers and creeks overflowed, driving people from their homes.

The unofficial rainfall totals were staggering: 18 inches in Wilmington, 14 inches in Fayetteville and 8 inches in Raleigh. “This is a very, very serious and deadly storm,” Gov. Pat McCrory said.

Officials in Haiti said the storm killed more than 500 people when it tore across the country as a hurricane.

Shortly before daybreak, the hurricane was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone.